Supervised Visitation program gets a thoughtful upgrade
We are thrilled to share that the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center's Supervised Visitation program has recently received an exciting upgrade. With help from generous key supporters we are now able to offer an outdoor play area for our families!
For over a decade, the WDRC’s Supervised Visitation program has provided a positive and safe place for parents and children to visit with one another. Families participate in Supervised Visitation when the Court has determined that supervision of visits is necessary, or when the parents/guardians have agreed to supervision. As the only free supervised visitation option in Whatcom County, our program is vital for families who cannot afford other professional SV services – which can run $100 or more per hour of visitation. With our exemplary and accessible services we help to:
Fulfill court-mandated visitation orders while keeping all parties safe
Protect victims of domestic violence from contact with their former partner
Promote family healing and breaking the cycle of violence
Center the children’s needs during very difficult and transitional times
Our Supervised Visitation facility has always been a humble, safe, and warm environment for family connection. Located in a nearby annex building with room for separate arrival areas, we are pleased to offer three indoor visit rooms that are welcoming and tailored for play for a wide range of ages.
We know that these visits can be transformational for visiting parents, residential parents, and their children. As we serve families, we are always trying to do everything in our power to make their limited time together as meaningful as possible. Yet, the small size of the rooms can sometimes pose a challenge when working with a family that has multiple children or high-energy young ones that require more movement during play. One piece of feedback that our staff received time and time again is that parents and children crave the ability to interact outdoors. For several years we have worked to say “yes” to this simple, yet impactful request, to help our families create deeply healing memories.
We are thrilled to announce that we now have a beautiful, safe, and functional outdoor play area!
The former deck at our Supervised Visitation location had fallen into disrepair, and for years had been too dangerous for families to use. With rotting boards, exposed nails, and inadequate railings, we were not able to utilize this space when families requested to play outdoors.
The original deck, which was unsafe for use due to rotten boards and exposed nails
With help from multiple community partners, we were able to build a new low maintenance deck that will last for decades to come and to expand the space to include a dedicated play area. The final layout includes a 20' long deck and an approximately 15’ x 15’ fenced ground-level play area.
Thank you to our partners!
We are incredibly grateful to the partners who made this project possible for the families we serve!
Bellingham Bay Rotary Club, for coming on board as our inaugural funder for this project
Women Sharing Hope, for providing key funding for the Supervised Visitation deck project, as well as other WDRC programs
Bellingham Sunrise Rotary, for helping us reach our goal of fully funding the project
C&E Construction, for expertly coordinating and completing all construction work, including generously donating additional time and materials
Growsource, for donating cedar chips for our play area
Faith Lutheran Church, for hosting our space and helping coordinate this project from start to finish
Our staff and families have already started using this space for play, and we are confident that this project will help our families create inspirational memories for years to come!